Breaking the record of the youngest F1 driver to ever win a Grand Prix, Max has managed to show his incredible performance despite the string of DNFs that marred his 2017 championship.
Now, it seems that all things are heading the right way at Red Bull, as Verstappen has announced that will be extending his contract with Red Bull from 2019 to 2020:

“Red Bull has always shown their faith and belief in me with actions; inviting me in to the young driver program as a 16-year-old, then giving me my start in Formula 1 when I was just 17, and then the opportunity to race with Red Bull Racing where I had such a dream start with this team.

They have always backed me and my ambition and I know we share that ambition. Their support, from the guys and girls in the factory through to the crew in the garage, no matter what plays out on the race track, has always been 100 percent.

We’ve also had some fun times! I’m very happy to commit further to Red Bull Racing and I’m looking forward to working together to enjoy more success in the years to come.” – Max Verstappen

Verstappen’s announcement may have come suddenly, but it’s far from surprising. Given Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner’s statements over how the team has rallied behind Verstappen, they’ve made it no secret that he is there No. 1 driver. Despite the incredible performances that Ricciardo has managed to turn in, the team has a clear pathway to their future World Championship hopes: Max Verstappen.

It’s not unlike an F1 team to rally behind their strongest driver, but in Red Bull’s case they are being utterly shameless about it. And maybe it’s for the best. Ricciardo clearly has his sights on Mercedes or Ferrari within the next several years, and if he gets his wish we could see the beginning of one of the best rivalries out on the track: Verstappen vs. Ricciardo.

Nikola is a carbon-based life-form residing on Earth dimension C-137. Lover of all things fast and furious. When he's not tapping away at a keyboard, he can be found aimlessly drifting in cyberspace, looking for signs of intelligent life.